Nov. 18: Mori - Hakodate Airport, 9:00 a.m.
Participants have to arrive at Sapporo on November 14. They can fly from Hakodate Airport to Nagasaki Airport via Tokyo-Haneda Airport and arrive at Shimabara on November 18.

Description:

There are 18 active volcanoes in Hokkaido, some of which have experienced frequent eruption even in the 20th century, resulting in serious disaster. However, the areas around these volcanoes have traditionally taken advantage of eruption, rather than just suffering from the damage. This trip visits two active volcanoes, Usu and Hokkaido-Komagatake. We will focus on not only volcanic processes but also living with active volcanoes. We will investigate various types of historic eruptive products, lava dome, pumice fall, pyroclastic flow, debris avalanche and active craters. At Usu Volcano, we will focus on two eruptions during the 20th century, 1943-45 and 2000. We will also discuss the processes of eruption of Hokkaido-Komagatake Volcano in 1640, associated with a sector collapse of the edifice. In addition, we will learn about monitoring and the sabo system, public networks, and other facilities for mitigation of the next volcanic hazard. Please note that mid-November is the beginning of winter in Hokkaido. As temperatures will be cold (around 10°C, please prepare adequately for cold and wind.

Note: Participants needing hotel reservations for the night of November 14 should contact M. Nakagawa.

This trip visits two active volcanoes on the Izu arc, Izu-Oshima and Miyakejima. At Izu-Oshima Volcano, where a steady inflation of volcanic edifice can be detected, we will visit central and parasitic craters, lavas formed in the latest eruption in 1986. We will also observe a maar from a 9th century eruption, and over 100 tephra deposited during the last 20,000 years at an excellent road cutting.

On Miyakejima, eruptions took place in 1940, 1963, 1983 and 2000. A 1.6-km-wide summit caldera was formed by subsidence during the course of an intrusion and eruption event started in June 2000. In September 2000, the islanders were completely evacuated. After a four-year period of volcanic gas emissions, they were allowed to return permanently on February 1, 2005. We will visit the ash fall of the eruption in 2000, a low temperature "pyroclastic flow,"mudflow deposits, and lava flow from 1983. From the viewpoint of volcano monitoring and mitigation of hazards, we are planning to look at SO2 observation by DOAS (differential optical absorption spectroscopy system) and a volcanic gas alert system on the island.

Please note that depending on weather and marine conditions, scheduled activities and observation stops may be subject to change.

Please also note that on Miyakejima, the volcanic activity that started in 2000 has continued with harmful SO2 gas emission. As of January 2007, residents and tourists are still required to carry gas masks on the island. We will prepare gas masks for participants' use upon request. Persons with respiratory concerns should participate with special caution.

Note: Takeshiba Pier (Tokyo) is about ten minutes walk from the north exit of Hamamatsu-cho Station, which is between Tokyo and Shinagawa stations on the JR (Japan Railway) Yamanote Line. The pier is nearby the Intercontinental Tokyo Bay Hotel. Hamamatsu-cho is also the terminal of the monorail for Tokyo-Haneda Airport.

Nov. 15: Assemble at Narita International Airport by late afternoon -- Move to Hakone

Nov. 16: Walk in Owakudani, last eruption site of Hakone Volcano -- Drive to 5th station on south flank of Fuji Volcano -- Hike to craters of AD 1707 Hoei eruption -- Observe major airfall deposits at Tarobo, southeast flank of Fuji -- Move to Yamanaka-ko, Fuji

Nov. 17: Drive to 5th station of north flank to observe fissure eruption sites of last 2,000 years Lava tunnel of Aokigahara lava flow at foot of volcano -- Visit museum

Nov. 18: Leave Yamanaka-ko -- arrive Tokyo-Haneda Airport around noon
We recommend that participants book flights for Nagasaki later than 1:00 p.m. Accommodation will be at university dormitories.

Description:

Fuji Volcano is a large basaltic stratovolcano surrounded by densely populated cities. Three hundred years have passed since the last Hoei eruption. Hakone Volcano with its caldera is famous as a hot spring resort in Japan. After we learn the characteristics of each volcano during the excursion, we will discuss their future circumstances based on the eruptive history, hazard map, and monitoring system of each volcano. Moreover, we will enjoy an outreach program at Fuji Volcano.

Note: For the 2-hour hike to the Hoei craters (2,500 m high), clothes against cold (0 - 10°C) and wind are essential.

Approx. cost: 32,000 yenIncludes: Transportation by bus, two nights' double or multiple-occupancy hotel accommodations with breakfast and dinner, and guidebook.Excludes: Lunches and fare for the shinkansen (bullet train) between Tokyo and Karuizawa. A round-trip ticket is about 10,500 yen. It takes about one hour and ten minutes one way.

Itinerary:

Nov. 15: Assemble at Karuizawa Station, around noon. Visit Katafuta River sabo construction on east-northeast flank of Asama Volcano. Emphasis is on risk reduction strategies including sabo plan (erosion control), hazard map and risk education. See volcano monitoring system at Karuizawa Weather Station, a branch of the Japan Meteorological Agency. Stay in Karuizawa.

Nov. 16: See volcano monitoring system, Asama Volcano Observatory (AVO), University of Tokyo. Then focus on youngest great eruption in 1783. Stops at pumice cut at AVO, Asama-en, and Kambara excavation site. Discuss eruption sequence, stratigraphic relationship between deposits of Plinian pumice fall, pyroclastic flows and lava flows; occurrence of these deposits and eruptive styles; when if and how clastogenic lava generated; how a catastrophic disaster occurred at Kambara village in the final stage of eruption. Move and stay at Kusatsu spa.

Nov. 17: Kusatsu-Shirane Volcano is famous for volcanic gas and hot springs. Visit Sessho-gawara to see many fumaroles and installed automatic alarm system for H2S gas. Discuss geochemistry of strongly acidic water of active crater lake at summit and rivers on flank. Visit Volcanic Fluid Research Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, to see monitoring system. Terminates Karuizawa Station, around 5 p.m.*

Description:

Asama and Kusatsu-Shirane are two of the active andesitic volcanoes in Japan. Major emphasis will be on their actual state of activity, volcano monitoring, past great eruptions, and risk reduction strategies. We may possibly stay at a Japanese-style inn with a public hot spa, without private baths in each room. Maximum daytime temperature will be 8°C. In case of chilly conditions, warm and waterproof outerwear and gloves are recommended.

*Note: Participants are advised to reserve a hotel for the November 17 night in Tokyo and an air ticket from Tokyo-Haneda to Nagasaki on November 18.

The aim of this excursion is observation of products of the Kikai-Akahoya eruption, which was the youngest and one of the largest-scale caldera-forming eruptions in Japan. Observation will be carried out at various distances, from near the source to within the caldera and southern Kyushu. We will compare the deposits with other large-scale pyroclastic flow deposits in southern Kyushu. We will stay in a Japanese-style inn on Satsuma-Iojima Island. The excursion program is subject to change, depending on the ferryboat schedule under bad marine conditions.

Aso Volcano is one of the largest caldera volcanoes in the world (25 km north-south and 18 km east-west). The Aso caldera was formed by four major explosive eruptions from 270 to 90 ka, which issued voluminous pyroclastic flows, covering extensively central Kyushu. Post-caldera activity initiated just after the last major eruption (Aso-4) and more than seventeen central cones were formed. Nakadake, presently the only active cone, includes seven craters. Only the northernmost crater (the first crater) has been active for the last 70 years; for example, 1974, 1979, 1984-1985 and 1989-1991.

Many people have lived closely with the Aso and Kuju volcanoes from ancient times. Aso Volcano has been a target of belief. The God is Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto, who is sacred to Aso Shrine located in the northeastern part within the Aso caldera. Aso pyroclastic flow deposits (welded tuff) were utilized for bridge construction. There are approximately 320 arched stone bridges in Kumamoto Prefecture, including the Tsujun-kyo and Reidai-kyo bridges on Midorikawa River, which are important national cultural properties.

Kuju Volcano consists of 20 lava domes and cones. The most active geothermal field around Kuju Volcano is Iwoyama, where a phreatic eruption occurred in 1995. At the Otake-Hatchobaru geothermal area in the northeastern part of Kuju Volcano, geothermal power plants, including Hatchobaru Power Plant, the largest geothermal power plant (110 MW) in Japan, exploit its heat to generate electricity.

During the excursion, it may be cold and rainy; therefore, a jacket and raincoat/umbrella are strongly recommended.

Sakurajima is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan. Vulcanian eruptions have taken place repeatedly since 1955. This trip visits small museums, observatories, lava flow fields and disaster memorials. Participants will be able to learn the history of Sakurajima Volcano and the lives of the residents who receive blessings and curses from the volcano. The first night's hotel (Nov. 16) will be a traditional Japanese-style one with dinner and rooms shared in Sakurajima. The second night (Nov. 17) will also be in Kagoshima at a Western-style hotel without dinner. Participants will enjoy dinner downtown. It will be warm in the daytime but cool at night (16 - 23°C). Clothes suitable for a fieldtrip are recommended.

Meet in front of Gamadas Dome, 10.00 a.m. - Honkoji Temple (collections of documents and map paintings of AD 1792 event) - City library (similar collections) - Some historical traces of disasters from the same event in the city, including monuments and Shimabara Castle - Fukko Arena, 4:30 p.m.

Description:

In 1792, Mayuyama (old lava dome), towering just behind the city of Shimabara, collapsed to the east, following the summit eruption of Mount Unzen. Debris avalanche rushed into the island sea, generating Tsunami and 15,000 resultant casualties. Precursory and associated strong shaking and the avalanche seriously damaged ancient Shimabara and the surrounding areas. This one-day excursion will visit historic places and monuments recording the disaster, and observe many historical materials including documentation. This is an excellent opportunity to sense the history of Unzen's volcanic disasters. Local volunteers will join to help participants to understand the Japanese tales and documentation of some 200 years ago.

Participants from foreign countries should arrive in Shimabara or neighboring cities (e.g., Nagasaki) by the night of Novenmber 17.

About a dozen phreatomagmatic volcanoes lie along the shoreline of Jeju Island, South Korea, which is a Quaternary shield volcano built upon the continental shelf of the Yellow Sea. These volcanoes provide excellent and continuous sea cliff exposures that are probably unsurpassed by any other phreatomagmatic volcanoes outside Jeju Island. The excellent outcrop conditions make it possible to establish the relationships between various phreatomagmatic processes and their products in a clear way, including dry to wet pyroclastic surges, Surtseyan fallouts and grain flows, debris flows, slides and slumps, and post-eruption resedimentation processes. In addition, these volcanoes have a variety of morphologies, stratal architectures and lithofacies, distinguished from one another and indicating subtle to marked contrasts in eruptive conditions, depositional processes, and growth history. The field program will include a visit to more than five tuff rings and cones and several scenic places, such as a gigantic lava tube, a magnificent lava dome, and Jeju Stone Park, and a half-day symposium of presentations and free discussions. An optional program of half-sightseeing and half-geological tour will also be prepared for those who can stay a bit longer on Jeju Island.

Start and End: Start at Hotel Charmant, 8:30 a.m., Nov. 13; End at Jeju International Airport, 12:00 p.m., Nov. 17
The weather will be mostly sunny, and the degree of difficulty mostly easy, though there will be one or two rocky coastal walks.Additional notes: Participants should arrive at Jeju Island on Monday, November 12. They will be picked up at Jeju International Airport. A short trip to a scenic spot will be prepared for those who arrive early in the day. The optional sightseeing program is for those who depart from Jeju Island on Sunday, November 18. Direct flights from Jeju to Fukuoka, Osaka, Tokyo (Narita) and Nagoya in Japan are available. To reach Jeju Island from the other parts of the world, participants will have to go by way of Seoul (Incheon) Airport.